Northshore men plead guilty to shooting-related incidents last year

Dustin Bradshaw, 23, of Bothell, was sentenced on April 20 to just under two years in prison after pleading guilty to a drive-by shooting last year in Kirkland.

The shooting occurred on June 21, 2017 in the 14400 block of 107th Avenue Northeast. According to King County court documents, there were no injuries but police identified at least three suspected bullet holes — one through a residence garage door and two on the side of a vehicle parked just south of the residence.

Court documents state that Bradshaw was known to the residence occupants and at the time was allegedly in a drug-money dispute with a minor living there. In addition, Kirkland police were shown a Snapchat conversation in which Bradshaw referenced drugs and money and the minor. The occupants also showed police a Snapchat video featuring a man they recognized as Bradshaw, holding what appeared to be an AR-15 while driving a vehicle and firing a shot out of the driver’s window.

Bradshaw was arrested by Kirkland police officers on August 3, 2017 on an unrelated charge and he later admitted to being the driver and shooter from the incident two months previous.

“Bradshaw confirmed his vehicle was the vehicle used and that the shooting was in retaliation for a drug related robbery involving the victim’s minor child referenced in the noted Snapchat conversation,” documents state.

In addition to the drive-by shooting, Bradshaw was a co-defendant in another case — a drug deal in Everett — that occurred in March 2017 and ended with two teens shot, one fatally.

Bradshaw pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture or deliver and agreed to testify in the Everett case. He was out on bail when the drive-by in Kirkland occurred. His time for the Everett crime — six months in jail — will be served concurrent with the King County drive-by sentence, according to court papers.

Bradshaw’s co-defendant in the Everett case is Brian Garrett Wingender, 23, of Kenmore. Wingender on April 20 pleaded guilty to one count of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver while armed with a handgun. If the sentencing judge sticks to the terms of the plea agreement, Wingender is looking at just shy of four years behind bars.

The Everett charges were the legal fallout from a failed marijuana deal near Everett’s Clark Park on March 13, 2017.

Bradshaw drove Wingender to Everett to sell more than two pounds of marijuana. Instead, the would-be buyers — young men with criminal histories — attempted to take the drugs by force.

Everett police were drawn by sounds of gunfire that morning. They found Francisco Vazquez, then 17, with gunshot wounds. John Muhlstein, 18, was dead, a handgun reportedly on the ground nearby.

Vazquez, a confirmed gang member with extensive criminal history, was prosecuted as an adult. Wingender later testified at trial that he shot both of the teens after they attempted to rob him. Vazquez was convicted of first-degree robbery and sentenced to more than five years.

Wingender entered an Alford plea in the drug case. In court papers, he maintained he didn’t believe himself guilty as charged, but acknowledged that he likely would be convicted based on the evidence.

Sentencing is scheduled June 28 before judge Anthony Howard. At the April 20 hearing, the judge carefully questioned Wingender to make certain he understood he is not bound by the recommendation, regardless of the agreement reached by his defense attorney and prosecutors. The maximum sentence is five years.